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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29178678">if you're going to san francisco</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeyHeyArnold/pseuds/HeyHeyArnold'>HeyHeyArnold</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mukelftv/pseuds/mukelftv'>mukelftv</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>70s AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>5 Seconds of Summer (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>1970s, Activist Calum Hood, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1970s, Biker Ashton Irwin, Disco Luke Hemmings, Drugs, Hate Crimes, Homophobia, Luke Hemmings &amp; Calum Hood Friendship, M/M, Making Out, Marijuana, Nonbinary Calum Hood, Nonbinary Character, Past Luke Hemmings/Calum Hood, Punk Michael Clifford, Sexual Tension, Shotgunning, Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:54:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,765</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29178678</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeyHeyArnold/pseuds/HeyHeyArnold, https://archiveofourown.org/users/mukelftv/pseuds/mukelftv</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In 1970s San Francisco, a rally brings together four somewhat unlikely friends. This is their story.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Calum Hood/Ashton Irwin, Michael Clifford &amp; Luke Hemmings &amp; Calum Hood &amp; Ashton Irwin, Michael Clifford/Luke Hemmings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>70s AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2142117</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>if you're going to san francisco</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>wow it's finally here guys! disco luke reigns supreme!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! first of all, of course, thanks the most to my most beautiful wife and co-author <a href="http://blackbutterfliescal.tumblr.com">brooke</a> for sharing her idea for 70s cashton with me and my brain for going "what about muke?".  Thank you to <a href="http://pixiegrl.tumblr.com">emily</a> for suggesting Luke be a disco boy, therefore effectively creating the enigma that is Disco Luke as we know him.  Thank you to <a href="http://staticsounds.tumblr.com"> molly</a> for being the #1 70s Muke Stan and also for proofreading this for us.  This has been a culmination of months of an idea for Brooke and about a month for me and I'm just so grateful to be able to share this with all of you.  Thank you, at last, to the club for letting us yell about this for the last month or so.  Thank you all and enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luke’s day isn’t exactly going how he planned for it to go, to put it lightly. </p><p>It all started when he overslept for his shift at the roller disco.  Luke worked there during the day to help pay the rent -- it also meant he got free admission whenever he <i>wasn’t</i> working, and Luke loved nothing more than the roller disco.  So it all worked out for him on both sides of the coin - working somewhere he loved, and being able to skate whenever he wanted.  </p><p>He had to rush out without eating breakfast, which made him grumpy enough, but not before saying goodbye to his roommate, Calum (who promptly reminded him that they had plans to meet up at the gay rights protest later that afternoon). So even though his morning started out not so great, he knew his afternoon would be an improvement. </p><p>Apparently not, however, since he just got off his shift at the rink, and made it maybe a block down the road before he was apprehended by a group of very intimidating men.  </p><p>Now Luke was a large man -- he was tall, and broad, but he was <i>sensitive</i>, and a glittery disco loving, flower power kind of man.  He wasn’t the kind of person who wanted to get into a fight with anyone, unless it was from a safe distance and Calum was with him.  (Even before they lived together, when they were friends with no history, Calum was always the one who stood up for the two of them as it was.)  </p><p>“Take whatever you want, you can have it,” Luke insists, and he’s sure he sounds absolutely pathetic.  He thinks he might start crying, and he hates that, hates how weak he feels in moments like this.  It’s not the first time it’s happened, and it certainly won’t be the last, not with the amounts of glitter that he covers his entire body with. </p><p>“The only thing we want is to show you where your place is, faggot,” one of the men says.  He smells like stale cigarettes and a hint of beer and gasoline.  He isn’t the kind of man that Luke would ever be caught close to.  He swallows hard as he watches the guy pound his fist into the open palm of his other hand.  He knows he’s crying now, tears hot on his cheeks as he’s backed up against the nearest building, hands pressing against the brick nervously.  “Aw, look, dudes, the little fairy is fuckin’ crying. What a fag.” Luke sniffles a little bit as he trembles against the building behind his back.  </p><p>“Please, you can have my money, you can have whatever you want, please,” he blubbers a little bit.  He doesn’t want to get beat up -- he doesn’t want Calum to have to worry about him more than they already do now. “Just don’t hurt me, please.”  The man laughs a little bit, cracking his knuckles again as his other friends laugh with him.  </p><p>“Too fuckin’ late for that, fag,” he laughs, and Luke braces himself as the man winds up and punches him square in the face.  Luke coughs at the metallic taste in his mouth, tears abundant as his head bashes against the brick wall behind him.  Everything gets a little fuzzy for a moment, and Luke starts to think this is it for him.  He spits blood out of his mouth, squeezing his eyes shut as he braces himself for another one of the men to hit him.</p><p>“Hey, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” is all that Luke hears, head still spinning from knocking back against the hard brick of the wall behind him.  He slumps down against the wall as he opens his eyes a little bit, seeing a figure running towards them.  The men seem to look afraid for a beat, which Luke finds strange, but they scatter as he leans back against the wall, trying to regain his bearings. </p><p>“Hey, are you okay?” he hears that same voice say from a much closer proximity.  He blinks a couple times as he tilts his head upwards. “Oh, fuck, he hit you pretty hard…” Luke’s eyes flutter open, and he’s greeted by a shock of dark hair and the greenest eyes he’s ever seen looking down at him.  The stranger slides his hands over Luke’s tender jaw and he hisses softly in protest, but keeps his gaze on this person in front of him, dressed in plaid pants and a black tank top and the sturdiest boots he’s ever seen. He wonders if it’s a hallucination, caused by hitting his head too hard on the brick, but the feeling of fingers on his skin was unmistakably real. </p><p>“‘m okay,” he mumbles, running a stray hand through his golden curls.  “Not the first time, won’t be the last.” He offers the Very Attractive Punk Man a smile, watery and weak as he spits more blood out of his mouth. </p><p>“Looks like you shouldn’t have been left alone, huh,” the other man laughs, running a hand through his dark locks.  “Want me to walk you home? Do you live near here? I’d feel safer with those fuckers around.”  He offers Luke a hand, nails painted black and a grin on his pink mouth.  “I’m Michael, by the way.” Luke blinks up at this Michael in front of him.  Normally people from his scene weren’t always so friendly towards people like him, but his hands were gentle and his gaze soft.  Luke took his offered hand, letting him help him up. </p><p>“I’m Luke,” he replies. “I was actually, um, heading to meet my roommate at the protest downtown, if you really wanted to keep an eye on me.”  He slides a hand over the back of his head, making sure he didn’t crack his skull open against the brick wall. Still felt intact, so Luke thanks his lucky stars he lives another day.  “Thank you for scaring them away, by the way. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t shown up to save the day.” Michael laughs a little bit, shrugging his shoulders as he pulls his hand from Luke’s.  Luke already misses the feel of their fingers together, which is odd to feel about a stranger, given he holds hands with everyone who lets him. </p><p>“Oh, the one at 18th and Castro?” Michael asks with a cocked eyebrow. “I was actually heading to it myself when I saw those assholes.  I’d be more than happy to make sure you get to your friend safely.”  Luke beams at him a little bit, but then realizes he probably has blood on his teeth and just smiles as best he can without. “Also, it’s no problem.  Those fuckers have been terrorizing the neighborhood for weeks, or so I’ve heard. You should be more careful in these parts.” </p><p>“Well, I work at the roller disco around the corner, so it’s a little hard to avoid the area,” Luke says with a gentle giggle.  “I would love very much for you to accompany me to the protest, however.” Luke brushes some dirt from the ground off of his bellbottoms, frowning at how they’re probably a little stained now. He figures he can wash them later, and then frowns down at his white silk shirt that’s gotten a splatter of blood on it. “Oh, fuck, that’s never going to come out. This was my favorite one.”  He sighs dejectedly before returning to his sunny disposition -- he’s never been one to let things keep him down for very long, and that wasn’t going to suddenly change now. </p><p>“I think I know a couple of stain removal tricks you can try out later,” Michael offers as he starts heading down the street towards the Castro district.  Luke moves to keep up with him, ignoring how his jaw aches when he smiles at him.  “I mean. If that’s something you wanted, or whatever.”  Luke lets out a light laugh, reaching out and taking Michael’s hand into his own.  Michael looks at him for a second, almost incredulous as this tall, beautiful boy laces their fingers together.</p><p>“I like to hold hands with my friends,” he says with a gentle squeeze.  “Since you saved my life, we have to be friends now. I don’t make the rules.” Michael laughs a little bit, and Luke thinks a light blush has spread across his pale cheeks, but it could also be the sun. Or his probably concussed head. But he doesn’t care -- he’s made a new friend, and that’s what matters to him. “But I would be down for that! You can always come to mine after the protest, we can smoke some grass, and get this silly stain out of my shirt. I’m sure Calum would be thrilled to have you over.” He swings their arms between them a little bit, blissfully ignorant of any looks they get on the street. </p><p>“I’m guessing Calum is your roommate?” Michael says with a soft chuckle, eyes darting down to look at their fingers laced together. He has a funny fluttering feeling in his stomach, which isn’t all that strange considering how he’s attracted to men, but <i>this</i> man in particular was captivating. Especially the way that the sun is streaming down on them, catching on his golden curls that are framing his face. He looks like he was carved by the gods themselves, if there are such things. He swallows hard and looks forward as they move into the Castro district. </p><p>“Yeah, we’ve been roommates since we left home pretty much,” Luke says with a shrug. “Calum is my best friend. We’ve been through a lot together, you know? I’m glad to have them by my side through life.” Luke softens a little bit, and Michael likes the look of him when he’s not all sunshine. (Just as much as he loves it when he <i>is</i> all sunshine.) “And because I like you, Cal is bound to like you.” Luke lights back up as he swings their arms again. “Plus you saved me. So there’s that too.” </p><p>They get quiet for a moment and just walk, Michael looking around the district as they continue. There are more pairs of men and women in this part of town, holding hands and looking out and <i>happy</i>. It warms his heart a little bit, living in a city like this that’s so open and free (most of the time, at least). Michael wonders if he looks so happy, but then he remembers he’s dressed the way he is, so probably not. Especially next to the sparkling gemstone of a man walking beside him. </p><p>“Oh look, right up ahead!” Luke proclaims, and Michael’s gaze is torn from admiring the man to the gathering group of people in the middle of the district. He squeezes Michael’s hand as he starts taking longer strides towards the congregation of people idling in the square. Michael keeps up, but just barely, amazed at how far Luke can move with those legs of his. He tries not to stare for too long, but he’s only human. “Calum!”</p><p>His gaze is pulled away from admiring Luke’s physique at the sight of Luke’s roommate, who’s waving back to him from their spot towards the back of the crowd. Michael admires the new addition, the mess of curls atop their head endearing as they shove their hands into the pockets of their well loved jean jacket. </p><p>“Luke, oh my god, are you okay?” Calum asks, gesturing to the bruise blossoming along his jaw. Luke just shrugs, tugging Michael along for the ride, to which he gets an apprehensive once over from Calum. “I see you’ve made a new friend.” </p><p>“This is Michael,” Luke says excitedly. “He actually rescued me from the group of guys who punched me in the face. Scared them off with his sexy punk vibes.” He laughs a little bit, and Michael wonders for a beat if that’s what an angel sounds like when it laughs, but also blushes at the comment. “Michael, this is Calum, my absolutely amazing and wonderful roommate.” </p><p>“It’s nice to meet you,” Michael offers, and Calum cocks an eyebrow at him when he speaks, hands shoved into the pockets of their jean jacket as they grin at him a little bit.  </p><p>“Nice to meet you too. Thanks for sticking up for Lukey here, too,” they say, reaching over to ruffle Luke’s curls.  Luke pouts at him a little bit, smoothing over his curls with a bit of an annoyed look on his face.  “You’re not from around here with that accent, are you?” Michael blushes a little bit, and Luke has a look of realization on his face. </p><p>“Oh, you <i>do</i> have an accent!” he says excitedly, blue eyes shining. “Can’t believe I didn’t even notice!”</p><p>“Could be the trauma to your head, Lukey,” Calum notes, to which Luke just frowns a little more. </p><p>“Yeah, I’m from Boston, actually,” he says with a little bit of a blush on his cheeks.  “Just started at Berkeley about a month ago. Saved up for a couple years and moved myself across the country. Thought I would get more involved in the community here, since there… wasn’t much of one back home.” He rubs the back of his neck a little bit anxiously, offering them a half grin.  Luke grins fully back at him, squeezing his hand that is still clasped firmly in his own. </p><p>“Cal goes to Berkeley too! You’ll fit right in with us,” he says, beaming at him a little bit.  </p><p>“Oh, yeah? What are you studying?” Michael asks. The feeling of Luke’s hand in his own was heavy, but in more of an emotional way than a physical one. He’s not used to the physical affection -- it wasn’t something that was common where he came from for people like him. He wonders what it must have been like growing up in such a free community. </p><p>Calum, Michael thinks, is the poster child for such a life, not entirely unlike the ray of sunshine still warming his left side. But where Luke is all glittering and golden, Calum is soft and subtle. An understated and intentionally curated presentation of themself. It’s in the unruly curls that meet the bandana tied neatly around their neck. It’s the scuffed up jean jacket that’s littered with political pins and patches. It’s even the slight hint of sparkle shining from under their wide sunglasses, placed there by Luke, no doubt.</p><p>“Uh, law,” Calum says nonchalantly. “When I’m not out here, I’m learning how to stick it to the man in other ways.” Calum lets out a half-hearted laugh at the suggestive look on Luke’s face as they kick one foot in his direction, rolling their eyes. “What about you?”</p><p>“Architecture!” Michael says, looking between the two shocked faces in front of him. “What? What’s wrong with that?”</p><p>“Nothing! Just woulda pegged you as a music kinda guy or something,” Luke explains. “You keep surprising me. But I do enjoy a man who knows what he’s doing with his hands.”</p><p>Michael offers only a shrug in response as he feels his cheeks get impossibly warmer, staring back at the fond expression Luke’s giving him. It would be so easy to lose himself inside those baby blues.</p><p>“So do you stay on campus, Mike?” Calum interjects and Michael’s thankful for the distraction.</p><p>“Hm? Uh, yeah. I didn’t know anyone here, so it seemed easiest. But they put me with this random guy and -”</p><p>Before Michael can go on, a loud rumble down the alleyway behind the three of them drowns him out. Everyone in the vicinity takes notice of the leather-clad man straddling the motorcycle that’s puttering in their direction. Calum’s gaze lingers while the man parks the bike carefully to one side. As he toes the kickstand in place, they notice the dark blue bandana, covered in grease and hanging from the man’s back pocket.</p><p>Shoving the keys in the pocket of his leather jacket, the man turns to face the crowd of people standing in the sun-bathed street. He spots Calum, still clearly taken with him, and gives them a once over with a crooked smirk before meeting their eyes. Calum’s a goner from that instant, lost in a daydream of what it would be like to wrap themself around the Mysterious Biker Man as they cruise down the Pacific Coast Highway. The only thing that brings them back to reality is Luke landing a playful smack across the top of their arm.</p><p>“Hello in there? <i>Go</i>! Go talk to him!” Luke urges Calum, giving their shoulder a light shove in the direction of the alley.</p><p>Calum stumbles forward, earning him a low chuckle from the biker making his way toward them.</p><p>“Hey, uh, how’s it going, man?” Calum mentally scolds themself for stuttering over such a poor choice of words, but their slip makes the man’s face brighten so that’s got to count for <i>something</i>.</p><p>“Hi,” he smiles easily, looking Calum over again and making them wish they’d picked a nicer outfit today. “I don’t suppose you could tell me how to get out of here, could you?” Calum notices that his speech is slower than they’re used to, picking up on the slight drawl and smiling to themself. “The street up there is bumper to bumper and this clearly isn’t going to get me anywhere,” he says gesturing to the crowds of people waiting in the street.</p><p>“Uh, no. ‘Fraid you’re stuck here for a while. But you can join me and my friends if you want,” Calum offers hesitantly. They’re not sure what’s come over them; they <i>never</i> have a problem speaking to guys. Although, it could be the fact that they’ve already mapped out their next few years together in their mind before even speaking to him. Taking a step closer, Calum tries to get a grip on themself before speaking again. “Judging by the flag in your back pocket, I’d say you’re in the right place.”</p><p>“Oh, um…” The man laughs outright, forgetting about the bandana hanging from his jeans, and Calum feels lightheaded at the melodic sound. “Yeah. I mean, why not? Not going anywhere until this is over anyway. I’m Ash, by the way. Ashton, actually, but you can call me Ash.”</p><p>“Well, nice to meet you, Ash. My name’s Calum, or Cal, whichever really.”</p><p>“Nice to meet you, too, Calum.”</p><p>Calum thinks they could get used to the way Ash says their name, like there’s something to hold on to, something to savor. As Calum turns to lead Ash back to their friends, Ash takes another lingering glance at their long frame, poorly hidden under the bulky jean jacket, and falls in step behind them. </p><p>When they rejoin Michael and Luke, Luke is excitedly telling Michael about <i>something<i>, waving his free hand that isn’t clasped into Michael’s around wildly as Michael looks at him, both in awe and entirely uninterested in the actual subject. (Luke, however, is something that Michael is very interested in, so he continues to listen as he keeps talking.)  Once Calum is closer, however, it’s evident what Luke is exclaiming about. </i></i></p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“...you <i>have</i> to come with me sometime. I know it’s probably not your thing, but roller disco is so much fun! You simply can’t have a bad time when you’re on roller skates and listening to disco music!” Michael just nods along, half listening to him as he admires him.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Thing is, I don’t know how to roller skate, so I don’t think I could ever fit in,” Michael says with a shrug, to which Luke squeezes his hand encouragingly with a grin on his face. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Oh, I can fix that,” he says with an excited laugh, and he turns to grin at Calum and their new friend when they approach.  “You going to introduce us to your handsome new friend, Cal?”  Luke eyes him up and down a little bit, and Michael grips his hand a little tighter, feeling a twinge of something in his chest. Is this what jealousy is supposed to feel like? Michael didn’t know he could be jealous after knowing someone for less than an hour.  He supposes that it’s just Luke’s effect on people. Ashton laughs easily, clearly unbothered by Luke’s compliment or the way he eyes him, and Michael isn’t sure if he should be relieved or if he should continue to be jealous. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Ashton, but please, call me Ash,” he offers, introducing himself for the second time.  “Pleasure to meet y’all.” Luke grins a little, picking up on his accent at the very least as he gently swings his hand laced with Michael’s between them. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I’m Luke,” he says, “and this is Michael, my knight in shining combat boots.” Michael blushes at the compliment, his free hand coming up to scratch at the back of his head bashfully.  “It’s lovely to meet you, Ash! You staying in town or are you just passing through?”  Ashton shrugs a little bit and shoves his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“San Francisco was my destination, but I didn’t have any set plans for what I was going to do once I got here,” he says, scuffing his boots against the pavement.  “So I’m here to stay, just haven’t figured out where yet. Just needed to get out of my hometown and somewhere where I could be… more myself. Although I can see some things are universal.” He gestures to the bruise on Luke’s jaw, which Luke shrugs off.   </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Well, Ashton, if you ever need a place to crash, we have a spare room in our house!” Luke offers with a little bit of a grin.  “As long as Cal doesn’t mind. You wouldn’t mind, right, Cal?”  Calum’s attention is brought back to Luke, having been quietly observing Ashton as discreetly as they can. A blush warms their cheeks and they slide a hand through their curls, ruffling them slightly. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Uh, yeah, that would be fine,” Calum manages, shooting Ashton a soft smile.  Ashton smiles in response, and Calum is certain that they’ve melted into a puddle on the sidewalk.  “Our home is always open to new friends.”  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“That goes for you too, Michael!” Luke says.  “If that roommate of yours is ever giving you trouble, you can come and stay over. Not to brag, but I’m a fantastic cuddler, and my bed is super comfortable.” He beams at Michael, and Michael looks back at him like he’s created the entire world with his own two hands. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I’ll keep that in mind,” Michael laughs a little bit.  He looks over to Ashton with a grin.  “Also, it’s nice to meet someone else who came across the country to get away from their hometown. I can relate.”  Michael and Ashton share a knowing look between the two of them, and Luke tugs on Michael’s hand to pull his attention back on him.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>As Ashton opens his mouth to speak, loud cheers can be heard from just up the block. All four heads snap in the same direction as they realize the protest is officially starting it’s route down Castro Street. The front lines begin the march with vigor in their step and the dense crowd begins to fan out through the road. It’s not long before the rolling wave makes room for them to move through the street.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Luke and Calum take an easy lead within their group, feeling at home in the middle of the impossibly large and impassioned crowd around them. Michael, still attached to Luke, thinks Luke somehow shines even brighter like this, warmed by the sunshine with his fist in the air and shouting along to a call and response chant happening just a few steps ahead. Of course Michael had heard about rallies like this in the news, but he’d never found himself in the middle of one and he struggled to find a word for the emotions he was feeling. He stuck close to Luke, making sure to commit every detail of him to memory, while he listened to the first few rounds of each chant before picking up the words and adding his own voice to the chorus.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Calum matches Luke stride for stride and word for word as they make their way past the first several blocks. When they lower their tired arm and raise the fist nearest Luke into the air, they notice that Ashton has disappeared from their other side. A quick glance around finds him only about a step behind and lost in the moment, drinking in every detail of the protest and the city and the <i>community</i> that he’d longed to be a part of for so long. And at the middle of everything in Ashton’s mind is Calum - sweet, powerful, <i>beautiful</i> Calum. Calum who was now smiling at Ashton over one broad, denim-clad shoulder.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Keep up!” Calum scolds lightly, smile lighting up their warm eyes. “It’s probably pushing my luck to think I’d find you twice in one day, so I can’t lose you now.”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Ashton feels his cheeks warm with a blush as Calum reaches back to loop their arm through his where it’s tucked into his jacket pocket, bringing him up to their side in a few long steps. Despite Calum’s coaxing, Ashton doesn’t join in on more than a handful of chants through the rest of the protest, more intent on soaking up every bit of queer energy that he’d missed in his life.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>When they make it back to 18th and Castro, Calum spots Ash’s bike, thankfully unbothered and sheltered from the crowd and the sun in the alley. Their arms are still linked, and Calum’s whole body feels warm, between the heat of the sun and the feeling of their skin touching. They pull back a little bit, face flushed and grinning as they smile at Ashton.  Ashton returns the smile, pulling his arm back entirely and shoving his hands into his pockets.  Calum frowns slightly at the loss of contact, but covers it up as well as they can. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Well, this has been fun, but I’ve got to go get something to eat and find somewhere to crash for the night,” Ashton says, and both Luke and Calum look at one another before looking back at Ashton. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Our offer is still on the table, Ash,” Calum says, sliding their hands into the pockets of their denim jacket.  “You can come back to ours and stay.  We can order some pizza, we’re going to get blazed, and then probably crash. I’d feel better knowing you were somewhere safe.” They shoot a look over to Luke, whose jaw looks worse now than it did when he got there, and then looks back over to Ashton. “You don’t have to, of course, but… the offer is there.”  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I don’t want to impose,” he says with a little bit of a shrug, blushing slightly at the hospitality of these Californians.  He thought that the south was supposed to be known for hospitality, not these kinds of people.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“You’re not imposing, dude,” Luke offers with a laugh.  “Mike’s going to come hang out with us too, right, Mike? Have some pizza? Some grass? Help me get this stain out of my shirt like you offered?”  Michael had almost forgotten about his offer, looking at the darkened stain on Luke’s satin shirt.  He’d say that he felt a little cornered, but he was so drawn to Luke, that he couldn’t imagine feeling that way. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Uh, yeah, sure, that sounds like a good time,” Michael says with a laugh.  Luke beams at him, squeezing his hand gently with a grin.  “So what do you think, Ash? You wanna come hang with us?  We have a whole house just for us, we have more room than we need!” Ashton hesitates for a moment, thinking it over.  He doesn’t really know these people, but they were so kind, and so inclusive. They understood why he was here.  And who was he to turn down free food and grass? </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Sure,” he says with a gentle smile.  “As long as it’s not too much trouble, and everything.”  Calum smiles back at him, shoving at his shoulder playfully. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Not at all. We wouldn’t have offered if it was,” they say.  “We can take your bike and I can show you where we live, that way you won’t get lost.” And so I can hold on tight to you and get a ride on it, they add mentally.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“What about y’all?” Ashton asks, gesturing to Luke and Michael. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Oh, we walked here. I don’t mind walking back, it’s not terribly far,” he says.  “Right, Mike? The house is only like, a 20 minute walk from here.”  Michael nods in agreement, despite the fact that his feet are killing him from marching all the way down Castro Street.  He’s certain, however, that he would walk across the country just to see the smile gracing Luke’s face.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Yeah, we don’t mind,” he says.  Luke squeezes his hand again, and it sends a shiver down Michael’s spine.  He wonders for a moment why he’s so entranced with this near stranger that he’s known for only a small number of hours. “I don’t mind, that is.”  He wishes he could pinpoint what it was about Luke that was so enthralling for him, but he just shoves it aside. A thought for another day. If there is another day with Luke after this. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“So then what are we waiting for?” Calum says with a grin, looking over to Ashton.  “Let’s go for a ride.” </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>A hesitant smile takes over Ashton’s face as Calum brushes past them, softly knocking their shoulders together on the way over to Ashton’s bike. Luke and Michael wave them off as they make their way down the street towards their house, and Ashton just gives Calum a somewhat knowing look. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“You ever been on a motorcycle before?”  he asks, and Calum blushes a little bit as they shake their head.  “Well then, you’re in for a treat.”  He steps onto the bike and pats the back of it behind him, gesturing for them to join him.  “Well, hop on, then.”  Calum gives him a once over before nodding, cautiously hooking their leg over the back of the seat, clinging nervously to Ashton. Ashton chuckles a little bit, bringing the bike to life with a loud start, revving the engine a few times. Calum clings to him a little tighter, anxious but excited to be on this bike with this handsome man that they barely knew.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I live on Graystone Terrace,” Calum offers.  “It’s like a 5 minute drive from here. Go from here right down Eureka, then down Corbett, then Graystone is a sharp right off there. I’m a little bit down the street.”  Ashton nods in understanding, then lifts the kickstand and starts off down the street with a loud rumble. Calum lets out a surprised noise in response, pressing their face into the back of Ashton’s shoulder. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Calum is grateful that Ashton is good with directions, it seems, since he doesn’t ask any further questions and Calum isn’t sure that he could hear them over the sound of the bike, and the fact that Calum is having a minor panic attack on the back of the bike.  It’s a different kind of thrill than they’re used to, wind blowing through their curls and the San Francisco air warm on their face as they ride down the side streets towards their home. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Before they know it they’re pulling onto their street, Ashton slowing down just enough so that he might be able to hear them over the roar of the bike. “Which one is yours?” he calls back, shouting over the sounds of the engine. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I’m the white one, on the left, about 5 houses up,” Calum says loudly as they continue slowly down the street. They finally pull up to it, Ashton pulling into the driveway easily and stopping the bike. Calum feels as though their heart is going to beat right out of their chest as he turns the bike off.  They slip off of the back of the bike, catching their breath as Ashton chuckles and shoves his keys into his pocket and grabs his bag off of the back of his bike.  Calum just makes their way to the door, opening it and letting the both of them in for the time being. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Ashton looks around the inside of the home, which should be a poster for the aesthetic of today, as he steps in. He watches as Calum pulls off their sneakers and does the same with his own shoes, not wanting to get dirt or anything on the shag carpet adorning the floor. His eyes scan the walls, covered in tapestries and brightly colored paint. The home looks well lived in, if anything. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“How do you two even afford a whole house?” he manages as he comes fully into the house. Calum just laughs a little bit, shrugging as they head towards their bedroom.  “It’s nice, by the way. The house.”  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Thanks,” Calum says from the other room, returning from their room with everything they needed to roll some blunts that afternoon.  “I think that our side hustle selling this premium grass is what keeps us afloat, in case you were wondering.” They offer Ashton a friendly grin. “You can make yourself at home.  The spare room is to the right of mine--” they gesture towards it with a smile, “and the bathroom is across the hall from it.  Feel free to take a shower or anything you need to do as well while I get these ready and we wait for Luke and Mike to get here.”  They take a seat at the kitchen table, laying all their supplies out in front of them, and Ashton adjusts his bag on his shoulder as he makes his way towards the spare room. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Thank you, again for letting me stay. You don’t know how much I appreciate y’all’s hospitality,” he says, pausing in the hallway to look back at Calum.  They’d already started rolling the first blunt, turning back to look at Ashton with a grin. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Hey, our home is always open. We have the space and we don’t mind sharing,” Calum shrugs.  “I’d rather you have somewhere warm to sleep and everything. You can stay as long as you need.” </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Either way, thank you. I’ll find a way to make it up to you,” he says.  Calum just smiles at him softly before turning back to working on the blunts.  Ashton steps into the spare room, looking around as he sets his duffel bag on the bed.  This room is a little more subtle than the living room looked, the walls a less bright shade of brown paneling than the living room is, with mint accents.  He figures it’ll do for now, sitting down at the edge of the bed as he takes in the room. He sinks into the mattress a little bit, laying back and sighing softly. He hasn’t had a proper sleep in a real bed since he left home, and he was already looking forward to sleeping in this one.  He figures closing his eyes for a couple of minutes won’t hurt while they wait for Luke and Michael to get back to the house, and before he knows it, he’s fast asleep on the bed. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Calum is still working on rolling the blunts when Luke and Michael come through the door, Michael still looking at Luke with stars in his eyes as he tugs him through the door, fingers still linked. Calum looks up with a slight shake of their head, chuckling softly to themself as Luke goes off about his day at the roller disco.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“...anyways, this is our home!” Luke says excitedly, and Michael looks around a little bit, seemingly almost in awe that they had an entire <i>house</i> to themselves. “Make yourself comfortable. I’m going to go get changed so we can get this pesky stain out of this shirt.”  Luke pulls his hand free from Michael’s to easily pull his shirt over his head with no hesitation, and Michael just stands there dumbfounded for a moment, blinking at him and at how shameless he is about everything.  Luke makes his way to his bedroom to change, and Michael stands awkwardly in the doorway, taking off his boots and not sure where he fits in here.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“You can make yourself comfortable, Mike,” Calum says, repeating Luke’s words and glancing over to him hovering in his spot.  “We don’t bite.  Well, at least I don’t. I can’t make any promises for Lukey.”  A grin plays at their lips, and Michael laughs softly, almost nervously, as he takes a seat at the table next to Calum as they finish working on rolling the blunts. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Thanks for having me over,” he says, scratching at the back of his head.  “Where’d Ash get to? He in the spare room?”  Calum nods as they finish off rolling the final blunt, wetting the paper with their tongue and rolling it tightly to set on the table with the others that they made.  Luke trounces back into the living room after that, dressed more casually in an old t-shirt and athletic shorts that do not hide anything he’s working with.  Michael blushes a little bit, trying not to look too hard at anywhere but Luke’s face as he grins over to Michael. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Come show me how to get these stains out, then!” he says with a grin.  Calum gives Michael a knowing look, and Michael prys himself out of his chair as he makes his way over to him. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“You’re gonna need some white vinegar,” he says.  “Do you have any of that?”  Luke purses his lips as he makes his way into the kitchen, and Michael follows him hopelessly.  Calum drowns the sounds of them chit chatting out of their head as they collect themselves from the table, meandering down the hall.  Seeing Luke and Michael talking about cleaning the stains out of Luke’s shirt reminded them that maybe Ashton might appreciate getting a chance to shower.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Whilst Michael and Luke are making a ruckus in the kitchen, Calum collects a towel and some fresh soap out of the hall closet and sets it on the sink in the bathroom before heading to the spare room where Ashton is.  They hover in the doorway when they see Ashton fast asleep on top of the sheets, still fully dressed from the day and everything.  They smile fondly to themself before tentatively crossing over to him, gently shaking him awake. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Ash?” they ask in a soft voice, hand firm on his shoulder as they shake him.  He makes a tired noise, hazel eyes fluttering open and looking tiredly up at Calum.  They swallow and try not to blush too much as they look down at him.  “I got you some things to take a shower and I left them on the sink for you.”  Ashton sits up a little bit and Calum pulls their hand back, pressing the sweaty palm against their jeans with a gentle smile. Ashton lets out a tired chuckle, and Calum tries to ignore the way that their heart is fluttering underneath their ribcage. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“You trying to tell me something?” Ashton laughs with a little bit of a grin, and Calum finds themself floundering, trying to find the right words to respond. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I-- no, no…!!! That’s not… I just thought you might… like a hot shower after being on the road…” they laugh nervously, running their fingers through their curls, and Ashton just laughs softly, shaking his head. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“No, no, I appreciate it, I really do,” he says with a soft smile. “That’s very thoughtful of you. Thank you.” He pulls himself up from the bed and stretches a little bit, grinning at Calum with a little bit of a smirk on his face. “And you’re more than welcome to join me, of course.”  It was a shot in the dark for him, making the offer, but Ashton didn’t come halfway across the country to beat around the bush.  He was here for a reason, and he wasn’t going to spend any longer not taking shots with people.  If it failed, then he would just go back about his business. No harm, no foul. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Oh, um, how thoughtful of you for offering,” Calum says, and their cheeks are flushed red as they avert their gaze for a moment before moving their chocolate eyes back up to meet his hazel eyes, and Ashton knows that his advances are more than okay. Calum bites their lip before adding, “Maybe next time, though.” Ashton grins and takes the answer with stride, brushing past Calum with a little bit of a smirk.  “Oh, before you, um, get in the shower, what kind of pizza do you want before I order?”  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Well, since you’re not an option, so I’m okay with anything y’all get,” he says, giving Calum a once over before heading into the bathroom.  Calum takes a breath as he goes, enjoying watching him walk way more than they probably should for someone they just met today.  They sigh as they make their way out of the spare room, heading back towards the kitchen where Michael and Luke are making eyes at each other while Michael shows Luke how to get the stain out of his shirt.  “Hey, Mike, what kind of pizza do you want?”  Michael looks up from where he’s showing Luke how to soak the shirt, blushing a little from how focused he’d been on him. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Uh, just cheese is fine,” he says.  “Thank you.”  Calum smiles softly at him, looking to Luke now. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Lukey, what about you? The usual?” Luke turns back to Calum and nods a little bit. “Okay, cool, I’ll get us a large to share, then. Ashton didn’t care so I’ll just get the cheese large and we should be all good.”  They make their way over to the phone to order the pizza, and Luke turns his attention back to Michael, who has filled the sink with vinegar and is soaking his shirt in it.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“What’s your usual?” Michael asks, curious.  Luke just smiles at him wistfully, leaning against the countertop.  Michael tries not to look at the way his ass is sticking out like that, biting his lip gently as he tries to focus on Luke’s face as he brushes golden curls out of his eyes.  The bruise on his jaw is on full display as he brushes his curls back, and Michael is entranced by it. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Oh, Cal and I split a pizza with all the veggies that they have on it,” he says with a shrug.  Michael makes a face in response to that, and Luke giggles a little bit. Michael thinks to himself that he’d like to make Luke laugh more.  “What, do you not like vegetables? They’re good for you.” </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Vegetables are fine when they aren’t ruining pizza,” he says with a shrug as he rinses his hands off in the other side of the sink. “Your shirt has to soak for 30 minutes, then you wash it like normal.  The vinegar helps break up the blood so it’ll come out easier.” Luke beams at him, and Michael feels like there’s a butterfly colony that’s taken root in his stomach.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“You’re a lifesaver,” Luke says, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. Michael flushes at the gesture, feeling himself grow warm.  “Let’s go sit and wait for the pizza, I’ll put the radio on in the meantime.” Luke’s hand finds his again, and he lets him tug him towards the living room with no qualms about it. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>It isn’t long until the four of them are seated in the living room on the floor, opting to sit like this instead of at the kitchen table, pizzas between them as they dig in.  There’s an energy in the air between the four of them -- they can all feel it, but no one comments on it as they eat, the soft sounds of the radio playing in the background.  Things feel almost tense, but not in a bad way. It’s more of a sexual tension between them than anything else, especially with the way that Calum and Ashton keep “accidentally” brushing up against one another and then apologizing. Luke, on the other hand, is not being shy about his intentions, pressed up against Michael’s side easily as he eats. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>The quiet tension is electric, and Luke is eating it up. He loves the attention he has from Michael by his side, and seeing the way Calum and Ashton are making eyes at one another. This is the kind of energy Luke feeds off, that keeps him going. All the love and adoration and just palpable tension between the four of them keeps a smile on his face as he finishes off his third slice of pizza, finally satisfied with it. He pulls himself up off the floor, Michael making a soft, defiant noise at the loss of his body pressed up against his own, but immediately blushes about it as he shoves another piece of pizza into his mouth. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Luke isn’t gone for long and Michael smiles, soft and content (though he would deny it vehemently) as he goes a little pliant against Luke’s side. Luke just grins as he holds one of the blunts that Calum had spent their time rolling when they got home. “You wanna light it, Cal? You rolled, you get to choose.” Calum shakes their head a little bit, shutting the nearly empty box of veggie pizza in front of them and grabbing their ashtray off of the coffee table. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Go right ahead, Luke, you know I don’t care,” they shrug. “As long as I get it next.” Luke grins a little to themselves, sparking the lighter and slowly lighting the blunt. Once it’s fully lit, he grins, taking an inhale before handing it to Calum.  Michael watches him in awe, and thinks maybe there isn’t a single thing on the planet that Luke doesn’t look good doing.  He slowly exhales the smoke away from Michael, and he does it with such grace that Michael would think that he does it for a living.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>The blunt makes its way around the circle, Michael taking his hit and handing it back to Luke as he sighs out the smoke.  It’s been a long time since he’s been able to smoke at all, since he was working nonstop the last two years. But damn, was he grateful to have found this angel in a silk shirt earlier this morning.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“You wanna shotgun, Mikey?” Luke asks, holding the blunt between his fingers.  Michael swallows a little bit, shaking his head as he tries not to think about the implications of shotgunning with Luke.  He’s heard of it, but never practiced it as he’d never had anyone to actually try it out with. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I’ve never done it before,” he admits, watching as Luke looks at him carefully. A grin overtakes his pink lips, looking far more excited than he should. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Well then, let me show you,” he hums with a grin.  He takes another hit, setting the blunt down in the tray as he leans over and takes Calum’s face into his hands.  Calum leans into it like second nature as Luke presses his mouth against theirs, soft and sultry as he breathes the smoke into Calum’s mouth effortlessly.  He pulls back after a moment, grinning and blinking dazedly as Calum just grins in response, blowing out the smoke.  Ashton and Michael look at each other and then back at the two men looking at each other, wondering what exactly this tension was that they felt in the air. “As easy as that!”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Michael just nods, almost dumbfounded as he tries to process what just happened, because it was so incredibly attractive that he’s not sure what to do with himself. Luke picks the blunt back up from the tray, giving him a little bit of a grin.  “So? You in?”  All Michael can still do is nod, eyes fixated on Luke’s mouth as he watches him grin and take in another hit.  He hands the blunt to Calum before leaning in and pressing his mouth to Michael’s, and it was everything he’d imagined and more as he melts into it. Luke tastes like veggie pizza and weed but that’s okay, because this wasn’t really kissing, it was just shotgunning (but Michael would be damned if he didn’t want to think that it was a kiss). </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Luke lingers for a moment longer than he did with Calum, savoring it as he pulls back, licking those lips of his as Michael exhales the smoke with a laugh.  He’s already feeling the effects of the weed as he smiles at Luke, and he really wants to kiss him again as he licks the taste of Luke off of his own lips.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Calum taps some of the loose ashes off of the end of the blunt, and Ashton looks at them for a moment, like he’s thinking about something.  Calum takes the hit, looking over to see Luke giving them a look.  They roll their eyes slightly, holding onto the smoke in their mouth as they move to hand Ashton the blunt.  Ashton just grins a little bit, placing the blunt in the tray before sliding a hand under Calum’s chin and pulling them in to press their mouths together.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Calum is a little surprised by it, but the feeling of Ashton’s rough fingertips on their skin as he pulls them in and the taste of pizza and weed on his tongue is enticing as they feel their heart jackhammering in their ribcage. Their hands slide over Ashton’s shoulders instinctively, and he pulls back with a grin, blowing the smoke away from Calum’s face, fingers still tilting their chin up to look at him. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I’ve been thinking about that all day,” he hums with a smirk, sitting back as he reaches for the blunt sitting in the ashtray.  He glances over to see Luke kissing Michael again, their mouths moving together slowly as they laugh against each other. Michael’s fingers are tangled into Luke’s blond curls easily, and Luke is pressed up against him easily as he giggles against his lips, his own fingers pressing into his hips.  “I think they have been too, judging by the look of things.” Calum lets out a soft laugh, biting their bottom lip gently as they give Ashton a doe eyed look.  </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“I think we <i>all</i> have been,” they offer, looking down at their hands as they play with them idly.  Calum glances back up to Ashton as he exhales, fixated on the smoke rolling past his chapped lips. Calum realizes they’ve been caught staring as Ashton’s mouth pulls into a wide smile. As their deep brown eyes float up to meet playful hazel, the warmth in their chest spreads until they feel their fingertips tingle. Although Calum’s sure that’s just the buzz setting in.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>They reach up to pull Ashton closer until their mouths meet. Calum’s lips are soft against Ashton’s own, cracked and sunburned from his travels. As Calum sinks into him, Ashton thinks that if he were sober, he’d give more thought to being careful with them. Where Ashton is all sharp angles with his strong jawline, long, boney fingers, and calloused working hands, Calum is yielding curves of round cheeks and tender touches. But his mind is far too foggy to consider such things and all he wants is more of Calum.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Calum’s unsure of how much time passes before wolf whistles and giddy laughter from across the room cause them to release their hold on Ashton, practically having moved onto his lap. They sigh in annoyance, a feverish blush covering their cheeks, as they roll their eyes and toss one of their middle fingers in the air with a grin, watching Michael and Luke collapse onto the carpet in a fit of giggles. As their amusement grows louder, Calum and Ashton find themselves laughing along, though they still aren’t quite sure what the punchline was. The living room is filled with smoke and unadulterated joy, even as the laughter dies down, each of them holding onto their stomachs where their sides ache.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Man, what are the odds?” Ashton muses. “I left home to find something better, a place to call my own, somewhere I can just be <i>me</i>, and I just happened to walk right into you guys within an hour of coming into the city.”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“<i>Technically</i>, I walked up to you,” Calum teases from the floor beside him, sliding their hand into Ashton’s and reigniting the tingling sensation that made Calum’s entire body feel alive and on edge (though they’d swear it’s still the weed coursing through them).</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Well, consider this my thank you.” Ashton peels his eyes away from the ceiling to glance over at Calum, squeezing their hand in his.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Luke picks himself up from where he lays sprawled across the carpet, his head resting across Michael’s middle while he traces mindless patterns on Michael’s arm, and Michael whines at the loss. Luke settles on his stomach, leans over to place a kiss on Michael’s flushed cheek, and props himself up on one elbow to cradle his head, mindful of the bruise on his jaw, as he clears his throat to speak. Heavily intoxicated and forever missing the filter between his brain and his mouth, he blurts out, “So, Ash, what made you leave home, anyway? You said you couldn’t be yourself, right? What’s that all about?”</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Luke!” Calum scolds as Michael pokes Luke’s side with one finger.. “A bit invasive, huh, mate?” As they tilt their head up to look in Luke’s direction, he only offers a look of feigned innocence in explanation.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“You don’t have to answer that, Ash,” Calum says softly, squeezing Ashton’s hand again but Ashton just laughs Luke off.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i> “No, no! It’s alright. I don’t mind.” A bittersweet smile plays across Ashton’s features as he meets Calum’s thoughtful gaze. “I didn’t have much of an option to leave really, but it didn’t make it any less terrifying. Uh, let’s see. How much detail do you want? The whole sappy, sob story?” The question is rhetorical, but Calum is quick to step in and let him know that they’re only interested in what he’s comfortable sharing.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“Okay, well, I’ll start from the beginning, I guess. It’s been just me and Mama for as long as I can remember; I never met my dad. But we were okay, just the two of us. I knew my family was different from other kids my age, but it didn’t really bother me. And then, uh, my uncle owns an auto shop, right? And I was taken with cars and bikes as soon as he let me in there with him. So, once Mama let me, I started working there, just, y’know, cleaning up and fetching tools because I was still too young to get my hands dirty. But eventually I got old enough and I dropped out of school and started working there full time. I enjoyed it and it meant I could help Mama out. Now, I knew that I wasn’t really interested in having a wife and a family someday, but I never really gave it much more thought than that. I was happy taking care of my mama and that was enough for me. </i>
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    <i>“And then one day this guy, Dave, starts working right beside me. He’s nice as can be and I always felt like he went out of his way to talk to me or invite me to go out somewhere after the shop closed for the day, but it was always just the two of us. Suddenly it occurred to me that maybe there was a reason for that. So I started pushing boundaries, started testing the limits. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted and I was definitely lost as to what game he was playing. But, y’know, rural Kentucky isn’t so kind to guys like us, so I always had a believable out, just in case, though I never needed it. Then, after years of subtle back and forth, I was sure of what I wanted and I thought I was sure of what he wanted too.”</i>
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    <i>Ashton’s tone had been wistful and longing for a life that could have been, but it takes a dip and his voice is suddenly barely above a whisper. Calum takes the moment to tighten their grip on Ashton’s hand as their thumb traces small circles.</i>
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    <i>“I’d never even considered loving another guy until Dave. It took me years of casual advances to even think that maybe a life with him was actually what I wanted. I didn’t even know what that would look like, but I didn’t care. One night after everyone else had left, the two of us stuck around to finish cleaning up the shop and I worked up the nerve to make a bold move. No out this time. I was so confident. I worked my way closer and closer to him and he never backed away, not even a single step. So I took a chance and I kissed him.”</i>
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    <i>All three of the other people in the room held their breath. They knew this wasn’t going to end well or Ashton wouldn’t be here now, but they hoped that it didn’t take a turn for the worst. Luke subconsciously ghosts a finger across the deep purple painted on his chin. Ashton sighs deeply before picking up again.</i>
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  <i>
    <i>“Safe to say that I had it all wrong. He pushed and shoved me all around that shop, called me every name in the book, and even landed a few blows before I could get out. I’m not even sure how I made it home that night, honestly. I was scared shitless and I guess my brain just shut out everything else. When I got home, I threw all the clothes I own in a duffel and left Mama a note. I didn’t want her to see me like that. I didn’t wanna face her either. I told her I got into some trouble and had to skip town. I left her a check for all the money I had in the bank and told her to go stay with her sister for a while, just to be safe in the case that anyone came by the house. I jumped on the bike and took the fastest route out of town and didn’t look back until I got here. I feel awful for leaving Mama like that, but if you could have seen the disgust and rage on Dave’s face…”</i>
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  <i>
    <i>“I’m familiar,” Luke speaks quietly, giving Ashton a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, man. That’s awful. And I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” Ashton waves his free hand dismissively to reassure Luke that it’s okay. When he looks over to see Calum’s eyes apologetic and full of pity, he simply offers a smile in return as he brings the back of their hand to his lips to place a kiss. Somehow, Ashton’s only known this group of people a few hours and he’s already more at home with them than he ever felt in Kentucky.</i>
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  <i>
    <i>“What about y’all?” Ashton asks, trying to get some of the sympathy and stares off of him.  Luke smiles wistfully, leaning into his hand a little bit as he picks at the carpet with his other hand a little bit. </i>
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  <i>
    <i>“Well, my story is a little different but it’s similar in enough ways I think,” he chuckles, shrugging a little bit.  “I grew up probably about 3 miles from here with my mom and my dad and my two older brothers.  I was always… I guess different would be the best word for me to use.” He laughs a little bit.  “I was always more interested in being friends with girls and doing the kinds of things they liked to do than I was with sports and cars and everything my dad and my brothers were into.  I just tried to keep to myself most of the time, I guess, I didn’t want to push too many buttons.  But then I met Calum when we started middle school.” He grins over at them, and they just smile back, soft and a little sad as Luke keeps toying with the carpet. </i>
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    <i>“Cal had two moms, and they were different too, and their moms let them be whoever they wanted to be,” Luke continues, chewing on his bottom lip.  “So I would spend all of my time with them, pretty much.  We’ve been inseparable for a long time.”  He sighs a little bit.  “But I got tired of hiding my feelings, I got <i>tired</i> of trying to pretend to be someone I wasn’t, you know? So I came out to my family.”  It was quiet in the room for a beat, and they all knew what had to be coming.  Luke’s fingers ghost over his bruise again as he looks down at the floor. “So when I showed up on Calum’s doorstep with what I could fit in a bag and covered in bruises, it’s safe to say their moms let me stay.” Michael moves himself closer to Luke, giving him a sympathetic look.  “But it’s okay! It made me who I am today.  I went to high school, Cal and I got this place, now Cal’s going to save the world with their sexy lawyer skills when they graduate from Berkeley and then I work at the roller disco.  Things are good now.”  There’s a hint of sadness at the edge of his words, but he tries to look unbothered by it.  “I’m happier than ever, really.”  He grins at Calum, who returns the smile, and Ashton and Michael look at each other for a beat. </i>
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</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>“What about…” Michael trails off, gesturing between the two of them.  They both laugh a little bit, and Calum shrugs a little bit. </i>
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  <i>
    <i>“We tried it out, didn’t work out, we’re better off as friends,” Calum says with a slight shrug.  “I mean, we grew up together, it was bound to happen eventually. Now we know.”  Michael nods a little bit, still looking a little skeptical as he gazes between the two of them.  “And if you know Luke’s history, you know mine for the most part.”  They look to Michael.  “What about you, Michael? What brings you all the way to California from Boston? Other than Berkeley, of course.” </i>
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  <i>
    <i>“Well, I grew up an only child to my parents in the middle of the city,” he shrugs a little bit.  “Things were fine growing up.  When I was in high school, there was this guy in my class who I was really good friends with, who was… like the rest of us.  We had a tiny bit of a thing, hardly even a thing, really, since we only kissed like, three times, but his parents found out, and then they told <i>my</i> parents, and well… that didn’t go over too well.  They didn’t kick me out, but they acted like I didn’t exist, you know? Like I was dead to them.”  Luke frowns at him a little bit.  “So as soon as I graduated high school, I packed up, got a tiny shoebox apartment and a job, and saved all my money so I could afford to come here and go to my dream school. For architecture.”  Luke slides his hand into Michael’s, squeezing a little bit with a grin.  “I’ve only been in town for a month, and I hadn’t made any friends yet. So I’m glad I met all of you guys today.”  Luke just giggles a little bit, leaning over and kissing Michael on the cheek, causing him to flush a little bit.</i>
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  <i>
    <i>“You know, my afternoon started out pretty terrible,” Luke says, gesturing to his face, “but I’m glad that you found me, Mikey.  And that we found you, too, Ash.”  He grins over at them.  “Our little family is growing, I think.”  They all laugh a little bit, still dazed from their highs, but Luke was right.  They were all lucky to find one another today. And they all hoped that nothing would change that.</i>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>come find <a href="http://cakelftv.tumblr.com">me</a> and <a href="http://blackbutterfliescal.tumblr.com"> brooke</a> on tumblr to yell at us about this! we also have playlists for all four of the boys, so if you're interested in those as well, let us know! Thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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